Drinking Martinis By Myself

It's 10:48 and I'm lazing in my room doing nothing. I haven't done much of anything the past two days.

For starters, I've felt rather sick. I've had constant stuffiness, headaches, and allergies. It's not so much that I can't do anything, it's that this particular combination makes me extremely not want to. I mean, I could get people together, but why bother?

Anyways, I guess I just want to feel like I'm doing something. I'm hanging out on turntable.fm right now. I cashed a check, ate some hot sauce, downloaded a game and watched some movies, so I guess I've done stuff, just not anything remotely productive.

I leave you with this. It's my new new favorite thing ever:

Well Needed Rest

It's but a few days until the semester is over. I've got three finals and then it's back to Beech Grove.

I'm really looking forward to a lot of things...

• Firehouse Subs in Beech Grove where I'll be eating there pretty damn frequently.
• Seeing my friends! I miss everyone quite a bit and ThanksChristmaGiving will be excellent.
• Having money, because I'm RUNNING OUT.
• Christmas! Christmas! So much Christmas!
• No homework to interfere with League time.

I could go on but honestly I don't know why anyone would care what I personally am excited for anyway. The point here is I'm excited for the semester to be over. It's been a good one though. I feel like I've grown a lot. I've gained friends, had a lot of new experiences, and I believe become a more responsible and mature person overall.

That really sums this up I suppose. I'm really just procrastinating studying for finals right now. Seemed like as good an excuse as any to make a blog post.

By this point I could make a damn post about posts I want to make.

In Rainbows

So I stopped the music thing on this blog. No one was reading it...

Anyway, I feel pretty perfect right now. I'm at total peace and just feel really great.

I'm very excited for break, specifically ThanksChristmaGiving with everyone back home.

One day, I'll post more on here. One day...

Song Of The Day #5: Belt

Aaaaaaaand the song for the day is Belt by Say Anything:



Say Anything knows how to start off an album properly. This is a song about making a stand and having a belt. It's a great song off a great album and sure to get a good sing-a-long going if everyone knows it. It's really good for those days where you just feel kicked down.

Song Of The Day #4: Finding Something To Do

It's that time of day again! Today's song is Finding Something To Do by Hellogoodbye:



These guys really improved their sound from their first album. It's so damn happy! This is a sweet little song about generally being ridiculously in love. Really, the whole album is this way: good fun catchy pop. It's worth a listen even if you didn't like their first one.

Song Of The Day #3: Sick On Sunday

Today's song of the day is Sick On Sunday by The Dillinger Escape Plan:



The noises in this song are really freaking gross. It's the visceral crunches, the hectic pace, it just gives this feeling of almost fright that I don't really hear conveyed often in music. It smooths off at the end too into a great little vocal bit. It's a wonderful example of how The Dillinger Escape Plan might be metal as hell and unbelievably heavy but they know how to create a great sound that really works.

Song Of The Day #2: The Luckiest Guys On The Lower East Side

Today's song is The Luckiest Guys On The Lower East Side by The Magnetic Fields:



I recently started listening to their album 69 Love Songs, which is exactly what it sounds like. So far, this is one of my favorite tracks. I'm a sucker for most songs with narratives, and this is a really cute and pleasant song. It's just a nice little ditty and brings a day up with some humor and and a bit of sweetness. Give it a listen!

On an unrelated note, I posted a couple of these around campus today:

Feels good man

Song Of The Day #1: Kissing The Lipless

I was thinking that I needed to be blogging more when an idea hit me:

I could do a song of the day! It's perfect! I like sharing my tastes with others and it'll give me the chance to write about songs as well as a constant flow of content. I'll be picking out songs I like and explaining why I like and picked them. Without further ranting...

My first song is Kissing The Lipless by The Shins.



This is one of those songs that just kinda hit me out of nowhere. I like how it starts soft and then he gets really passionate as it goes on. I also enjoy the vivid visuals in the lyrics. It's one of my favorite songs by them (and I heard it this morning, hence the pick). It's kind of a sad song, but it doesn't really come off that way from his voice.

Anyway, comment and tell me your opinions on it!

EDIT: You know, I feel like I should've wrote more but it's not always easy! I don't really have a lot of personal feelings towards this song or anything so it's difficult to write a lot. I mean, it's more about sharing the song and hearing others comments anyways. Just wanted a disclaimer.

The Post In Which I Talk About My Smoking Habit

So, I'm apparently a smoker now. I'm not sure when I figured this out, probably when I actually started enjoying it rather than just doing it to look cool.

This would be the look I'm hoping for

Immediately after typing the above, I've realized this post is going to be longer and needs more explanation than I originally though, so let's start with this fact: I'm a social smoker.

I have smoked on my own a total of two or three times in my life. It's just not something I do. I'm not addicted, I don't need to smoke, and I generally don't care how cool I look to the random people on the streets. That doesn't mean I only do it to fit in or because other people are. I do it because I enjoy it, it relaxes me, and I like to pretend it makes me look cool. That right there leads me to the reason that I started smoking.

I started because I like the way it makes a person look. I don't give a damn how shallow or stupid that sounds, it's why I started. It's not like I ever hid that fact, I openly told the people around me that I pretend it does. Hell I'm not even saying it actually makes me look cool. You know that feeling when you get a new shirt and it makes you feel good and you want people to notice it? It's an accessory, same as anything else.

I started a while ago, not exactly sure when, over a year though. I mostly smoked cheap-as-hell cigars because they were cheap. Being myself though, I had a craving to try new things and interesting varieties so I've moved through a few types of cigars and cigarettes.

1. Hell, I can't even remember the name of em, the cheap multi-flavored cigarillos that cost like $2 at Speedway for a pack of 20. Also they suck.
2. Marlboro Blend 54's - I got these because they were menthol, which I like, and because the box looked cool. I liked them a lot but I'm not sure if I'd get them again.
3. American Spirit Menthols - Yes I know, stereotypical hipster cigarette. Still, I wanted a quality menthol and the variety at the Beech Grove Speedway is incredibly lacking. They're really good, a little smoother than the Marlboro. I'd smoke them again for sure.
4. Lucky Strikes - An American classic. These guys are unfiltered and STRONG. I mean, get weak after like two inhales strong. Still, they've got a good taste and I'm a sucker for things that make me feel like I could be in the 50's.

See, a classic!

I've tried others that I enjoyed too, but those are the only ones I've bought packs of. When I say packs, I actually mean a pack each, because I really only smoke like one a week so they last forever, although it's been more like two a week this semester, probably because a lot of people I know here smoke too.

Now, I started because I liked the way it looked, but I keep going because I like the relaxation it brings and the taste. I could quit anytime and I damn well know it. I've got no cravings and I can easily go a week without one. Plus, it makes situations where everyone is outside and smoking more pleasant.

I know what some of you might be thinking by now, and it's probably one of two things:

1. "Andrew! You're smarter than that! Smoking kills!"
2. "Andrew! You're retarded and I hope you get cancer!"

Probably about a 50/50 ratio there... Anyway, to those of you thinking the first one, you've got a good point. I don't plan on smoking forever, however, and college is a pretty good time to do those things that are unhealthy that you should probably stop doing after college (blackout drinking, looking at you). I'm certain that most people have a good deal of unhealthy habits both physical and otherwise. If you aren't going to stop those then I don't think I should stop mine. To those of you thinking the second one, I'm not sure why you'd be reading my personal blog...

Anyway, I like smoking. I like the way it looks, I like trying new kinds, I like the relaxation (seriously, no one ever tells you how much it relaxes you! I mean, I've heard that before but we're talking like an actual chemical "my muscles are soothing" sort of thing!), and so on. I have to be honest, never really pictured myself as a smoker. I'm not too bothered by it.

It still makes me look cool.

Just Saying

I'm not dead. Mostly a reminder to myself here. This way, I can look back in a month when I post next and pretend this counts.


Also, I may or may not be delaying studying for Calculus. I should blog about my hatred of Calculus.

I hate Calculus.

Meeting The Night

It's almost 4:30 at night and I'm in my room alone.

I don't know how to describe the peace I feel right now. It's wonderful, to have a space all to myself. I don't have anything to worry about tomorrow, I've got total peace of mind. I haven't been this at peace in a while.

There's a lot of things I'd like to write about, if I ever get around to it. I've changed my major to Computer Science. It'd be nice to talk about why I did that and why I'm excited about that.

I'm still addicted to League of Legends. That probably deserves a post.

I don't know, I can't think of anything else and don't really care to right now. I'm really relaxed, and that's what matters.

On the list of seemingly pointless blog posts I've made, I'm sure this ranks up there for some of you but you need to know how much I'll enjoy sleeping tonight and waking up tomorrow.

It's a lot.

Winning Combination

So Five Guys Burgers and Fries, also known as "Best Place To Get A Burger", is getting the Mecca of soft drink machines, the Coca-Cola Freestyle (read my feelings about that here) installed in every single location. This made me feel... I think a picture would fit this better:

This right here

Also this

I could not possibly be happier. I mean, I liked Firehouse Subs but driving 20-something minutes just for Peach Vault (and hot sauce) kind of sucks. Five Guys is a perfect place to pair with such a damn good drink. I will be eating there far more often as soon as this sexy beast shows up in Bloomington.

To those of you that haven't had Five Guys, it's really good. You should eat there. If I were to ask you what the best burger you've ever had is and you don't have a decent answer, the answer will probably become Five Guys. I'm not saying it's the best ever but for a major chain it's so damn good.

Seriously, I need this now.

A Gaggle Of Morons

I'm currently located in the basement of Forest A Tower, hanging out with the group of people I've got to know so well over the course of last year. I guess I don't think about the fact that I've only known these people for less than a year. I mean, I didn't even start hanging out with a lot of them until 2nd semester.

Just a thought.

Tearing Out My Hair On The Bedroom Floor

So, it's four thirty on a Saturday afternoon and I'm sitting alone in my room, doing nothing but browsing the web pointlessly.

I woke up at 3 today, so I suppose that makes the situation less pointless but still.

I'm listening to Matthew Fozzi, the ex-backing vocalist from Tacking Back Sunday's, new band's album. It's pretty solid so far. Nice to listen to something I want to listen to instead of some of the things my friends choose for our little music club thing. I really aughta write about that sometime. There are a lot of things I should theoretically write about, but I'm too damn lazy.

I've had trouble wanting to write anymore. I feel like if it's about a subject I'm actually passionate about then generally no one gives a damn. I don't just want to write posts about negativity, that just drags in a bunch of appreciated-but-misplaced sympathy. I want to write for myself, not for anyone else. Not right now.

I'll probably be writing here more. I hope that you'll still read this, as I do honestly want other people to read it. I like the idea of keeping so much out in the open like this. I just don't want to feel like I have to keep people entertained when I'm obviously piss poor at it.

This thing has been long enough, I'm going to get off my ass and do something productive. Like eat. Eating is productive.

Like A Ghost In The Static

Do you ever wonder if there's a point to anything you say, or if anyone finds it remotely interesting? What if it's wrong, or makes you look stupid? What if it's something you won't agree with tomorrow when you think about it, something you just said in the moment? How do you know when you're clear in mind, not just believing it? Which thoughts of yours are the ones you really mean? What if you can't figure out what you think about something? What if your perception of reality has become too warped to accurately assess a situation, even when you try? Why do you try?

Why am I even writing this? So I can get a pity comment? So some jackass friend can post something about how no one cares? Am I vain? Do I think I'm important? Witty? Clever? How can I tell if I don't think I am or I'm just being humble (or pretending to be)? Can one lie to themselves?

Just a bit of thought I'm going through while not studying.

Dancing Yellow Robots

So, I'm back in Bloomington...

Oh, I Would Kill For The Atlantic

So a lot of you are going off to college or are already moved in there. This is exciting! Fun, new, frightening, liberating, etc... All sorts of words I could throw out there. I figured since I did the whole "new to college" thing last year, I could maybe throw together some advice based entirely on my first year at IU. This is straight from my personal experiences, what I did, wish I would have done, done differently, etc... I hope it helps!

• Take advantage of all the events going on around campus for delicious free food. I can't tell you how much free food I got last year. I got free pizza like once a week, free wings a few times, I even scored some Chinese food in there! On top of the food, some of the events themselves are fun. I watched a movie about World of Warcraft addictions (and scored free Domino's), a bunch of Asian people singing (and scored free Chinese food), learned about sex (twice, and scored free pizza twice!), I could go on, but you probably get the idea.
• GO TO CLASS, UNLESS YOU ARE 110% SURE YOU DO NOT NEED TO. I skipped Calc a few times because it was boring as hell and I felt like I knew the material. I did NOT know it well enough and ended up getting a C+ and not getting into the business school and having to change my major (which all worked out fine, don't worry bout me). You have a metric butt-ton of free time, going to class will be worth it.
• Meet new people! You'll be surrounded by thousands of them, don't be anti-social! None of my Beech Grove bros went to IU, so I pretty much had to make new friends. Luckily for me, this was really easy because it turns out if you just talk to a ton of people you find cool ones. I've met some of my best friend at college. 
• Get to know your campus. Getting to class is so much easier when you know what buildings you can cut through. You get a better idea of where to hang out with your friends, where to sleep in-between classes, etc... Sleeping in the Union was my favorite thing to do at IU. I don't know about other colleges, but at IU some people sleep just in the grass somewhere. It's really relaxing.
• Don't eat too much! Food is good, especially when you have fake college money to spend on candy and beef jerky and soda everyday, but you'll soon discover that the Freshman 15 is very real. Maybe that's because I had chips and salsa and candy and whatnot EVERY NIGHT EVER, not to mention I actually ate two full meals a day every day. Still, I gained weight. Don't let it happen to you!
• Get to know your professor a little. If you need an extension on an assignment or something, it'll improve the odds greatly. I'm not saying that you need to become best friends with them, but if they at least know your name, you'll be better off. 

That's probably all I got, at least for now. I don't really have advice for those of you staying at home and stuff, seeing as how I didn't do that. To my friends who are in/have been to college: any other suggestions?

My Plug In Baby Crucifies My Enemies

A few days ago I saw Muse in concert and I have to say, it was unbelievably fantastic. So much so that I thought I would share my feelings on it with all of you!

Anyway, I went with Kyra and Devon. We met up with Jillian and some of her friends on the way and ate at Five Guys Burgers and Fries. If you've never been there and like burgers, I'd highly recommend it. From there we headed to the show where we met up with Austin and some of Devon's friends that I don't really know.

The opening band was Middle Class Rut, who weren't half bad for an opening band consisting of two people. They had a strong loud sound, but pretty poor lyrics and they got really repetitive. Also, one of them went on some kind of rant about how he wanted to have sex with everyone in the crowd. That was awkward. That and he said fuck a lot.

Cage The Elephant were next, who I know entirely from the opening song to Borderlands. They ended up being pretty good. I probably wouldn't bother downloading an album or anything, but they seemed to have a decent diversity of songs, a sot of energy on stage, and a generally good stage presence.

While we were waiting in between bands, the TV screens had people's messages displayed on them. Naturally, I had to try my hardest to get my ridiculous ones on there. I managed to get over 20 messages on the screen including my League Of Legends name (I started playing that, you'll get a post about it sooner or later), a Portal 2 reference, and about five stating that I love Radiohead and Thom Yorke (lead singer).

I would imagine Muse is what you've wanted to hear about, so I'll talk about them soon. They started with Exogenesis Part 1, which was a really surprising and fantastic choice, creating a really ominous and dramatic feeling. From there they went into Uprising. I don't really care for Uprising, but it certainly got the crowd going well. Next up was Map Of The Problematique, which blew me away and was a really freaking awesome choice. They followed that with Butterflies and Hurricanes which is another personal favorite and came out epic as hell live. In between almost every song, they did random instrumental jams.

It's at this point I want to mention that Matthew Bellamy obviously does not enjoy speaking to the crowd very much. I mean, he wasn't shy per say, he just rarely ever talked!

After Butterflies I believe was Supermassive Black Hole, which is a fun song and was cool to see live. It's after that that things took a very Resistance turn. As in, they played Undisclosed Desires, Resistance, United States of Eurasia, and Guiding Light. Now all of these were great live, and I like The Resistance, but Guiding Light? Really? Of all the songs they have, I wouldn't have picked Guiding Light. Oh well... I don't quite remember the order of things after that, but they played Starlight. Starlight is one of my favorite Muse songs and had an amazing laser show. They also did Time is Running Out, which I actually don't like as much as I used to, and Hysteria which was pretty powerful and awesome.

After some half-assed attempt at getting an encore cheer (they didn't even say goodbye!) they came back and FINALLY played Plug-In Baby. I freaking love that song and they did it justice, I just wish we could have got more instrumental stuff. After like five more minutes of jamming with a harmonica, they closed with Knights Of Cydonia.

Overall, it was a fantastic show. I just wish they played more older stuff, ya know?

Would It Kill Me?

As I type this, I lay on my bed doing nothing. This has been my most common location for the past three days.

I know what the few of you who clicked the damn link are thinking: "Why do I give a fuck? Who possibly cares what Andrew is doing as he types his pointless ramblings?" while the other half are already clicking off the tab and heading to the kitchen to eat, finally having found a brief respite from the otherwise non-stop stream of interesting information on the internet. For those people, I fear all hope is lost of them ever viewing my laments. For the rest of you, I ask you to read (and maybe even comment0 because you, just maybe, care enough about me to read whatever I thought was important enough to write. At the least, indulge me.

Anyway, back to where we started. It's 11:30 at night and I haven't attempted to contact anyone to find out what interesting happenstances are occurring at the moment. I could do that, or I could continue to waste away with my bag of pretzels in my room. I've got no momentum right now, no desire to do anything. This isn't just my usual laziness. I feel very... burnt out. I don't really WANT to be around others.

I was really stressed out on my birthday a few days ago (thanks for all the birthday wishes and whatnots, by the way). A few factors included my dad being an ass, as usual, a lot of people cramped around me for most of the day, heat, a lack of decent sleep, and a massive amount of stupidity when trying to form any sort of plans for the day.

Now, I wouldn't say it was a bad birthday, but it disappointed in a few ways. More importantly, I was really looking forward to it and I suppose I just didn't really get what I wanted (not materialistically here people, I'm not that bad). This, in turn, has led to me not wanting to put forth any sort of effort into making these past few days anything special.

I suppose I'm typing this now because I just want to get it out there. I mean, what does one do when they feel like this? I don't want to be "that asshole" who goes and hangs out with his friends but then just mopes and constantly claims to be alright, only to follow up by sulking in the damn corner some more. No, I'm better than that (at least I'd like to hope I am), but then what do I do? I'm tired of being in this damn room. It's hot and a mess and I don't like it.

Anyway, if that whole thing was too long for you to read, I've got a nice short summary for you

• I'm burnt out and don't know how to deal with it.
• You're an ass, read it.

A Small Pondry

Is there anything that any of you that read this would like to see me talk about?

Food? Music? My personal life? Anything else?

I'd greatly appreciate comments on whatever you'd like to read about from my perspective.

Thanks!

Freestyling It

I'm very excited to try out the Coca Cola Freestyle tomorrow.
Instead of talking about it now, I'll do it tomorrow. This is more a placeholder...
An ugly thing to force me to do it.
EDIT: I enjoyed it quite a bit, and had a decently eventful day.
Enough of one that I don't feel like writing it all tonight.
TOMORROW for sure!

Right then! 

Tuesday was pretty awesome. The first thing I did was get my sorry ass dragged out of bed and headed to Salvation Army with the guys. We bought "kill clothes" for the season finale of Dexter. See, we've been watching Dexter as a group, and that night was our last night as we ran out. I'll probably make a post about Dexter soon-ish. 

Anyway, following that we hung out at Cody's until we could go to Firehouse Subs, which is the interesting thing I wanted to blog about so I should get to it...

Firehouse Subs is located in Avon and is one of many restaurants to carry the god of all soda fountains, the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine.

Coke drinkers always kneel towards the nearest one upon opening a can.

 This sexy beast was the entire reason for our visit. It claims to hold around 100 flavors of Coke products, depending on the particular machine. During the trip, I tried the following drinks:

• Grape Sprite - A very pleasant grape drink, almost like a better carbonated water
• Vanilla Sprite - Boooooring. I mean, it's carbonated vanilla.
• Grape Vault - It's the BOMB. Like a pitch-black Vault.
• Peach Vault - Really a better combination than it sounds, it's refreshing.
• Fruit Punch Fanta - I mean, it's carbonated fruit punch, always kick ass.
• Orange Coke - I was shocked at how good this was. The orange didn't overpower at all, it added a very nice citrus taste.
• Raspberry Coke - Actually, a little too sweet for my tastes.

However, my trip was noteworthy for a second reason: Dave's Ultimate Insanity Hot Sauce. You see, it turns out Firehouse has quite a few hot sauces to put on your sub (speaking of, I got a Beef Brisket and Cheddar. It was alright, needed toastier bread, got mayo accidentally but barely noticed it, overall recommened). I, being the champion of hot sauce (and stupidity), decided that Ultimate Insanity needed to be all over part of my sub. Despite the 10+++ on the bottle for heat, I was not afraid. I put it right on, plenty of it, and ate my damn sandwich. At first, not too bad. Soon though... 

 My mouth felt like it was literally on fire. My eyes were watering, lips burning, stomach churning... I consumed the majority of my pop at this point. Tragically, it cooled the burn for a moment before honestly just making the stomach pain worse. I have never experienced a hotter spice or burn.

I lived, luckily, and brought some home because I just love suffering. Firehouse was great, as was the season finale of Dexter. I had a great day, and learned two things:

1. Coke Freestyle is as great as it sounds, and I want to try it again sometime!
2. My stomach will never forgive me, as long as I live.

You Used To Be Alright, What Happened?

I really wish my iPod battery hadn't gone to hell right now. I'd just like to play some music and take a walk, but that can only last for about 15 minutes before my music is gone.

Feels bad man.

Running On Empty

I find myself up until ridiculous hours this summer.

It's likely the cause of my waking up so late.

Anyone else not heading to bed until after four?

I know it's not JUST me.

Time Is Quite The Killer When You're Left Behind

Today, I am here to talk to you about what I believe to be a perfect album that all of you should most certainly buy/download and listen to as soon as you possibly can!

Broken Bride by Ludo

If for some reason you've skimmed the caption text located directly above you, the album is Broken Bride by the band Ludo. I suppose I should start describing it, selling you on why it's perfect...

First off, it's a concept album. The whole thing is a rather cohesive and very touching story. It contains a pretty unique variety of sounds within it's five songs. It's about 30 minutes long, so it won't even take that much time for you to listen to, so no excuses!

It is also the only album to make me cry, dead serious. That being said, on to the individual tracks!

We'll start with the first and title track, Broken Bride. Immediately, we're given the rundown on our hero's situation: He's built a time machine to save his dead girlfriend's life by going back to, ya know, before she died and stopping it from happening, but he's traveled way too far back in time and ended up with dinosaurs. Hiding in a cave from the pterodactyls, he laments the futility of his efforts. It's a fun song and a great way to get you hooked on the album.

Next up is Save Our City. It's a bit confusing, as we're thrust into the Apocalypse, when zombies roam the Earth and everything is pretty much awful. It's actually kind of depressing, especially at first, when we're told of people committing suicide and generally losing hope. They're warring against a dragon and his undead army. By the end of the song (and it's a pretty long song), you'll feel inspired to take up arms yourself and fight the dragon.

The third track, Tonight's The Night, doesn't actually tell us much, but it sets up a bit of the previous story and provides a nice upbeat break between the melancholy of the previous track and the upcoming one. It's just the main character singing about how he'll save his girl with the time machine he's built (it takes place before the first track).

The Lamb And The Dragon, track four, is when shit gets real. Basically, our hero traveled forward from the time of the dinosaurs, but went too far and ended up in the end times (See! Track two wasn't pointless at all!). We learn about the war a bit more, about how the dragon's going to basically come and kill everybody through music that alternates between sounding like it came from a Renaissance fair and a heavy metal album. Our hero laments these problems, but knows he must see his girl again. He fires up the machine and...

I'm not going to spoil it here! Listen to it! I will tell you that the name of the last track is Morning In May, so you can maybe make an assumption or two, but still. It's worth every cent you will or won't pay for it.

What are you waiting for? Get to it!

Play The Game

So, maybe this is a well known fact, maybe not, but here it goes:

I play Yu-Gi-Oh! Oh yes I do. My friends and I play it pretty frequently, and have a damn good time doing so. I know what you may be thinking, "Isn't that game dead?" No! It turns out that it is still well and alive with more and more stuff coming out every day!

Honestly, we started playing as something to kill the time. I can't remember who suggested the whole thing in the first place, but it rather quickly became an everyday thing for us. If you are ever looking for me at two in the morning (and let's be honest, who isn't?) a good place to check would be the White Castle over on Emerson, where we'll play for two hours.

I haven't sunk that much money in personally. I'm far too stingy to, and not as obsessed as some of my compadres. I currently run two decks, one based around aliens and one based around wooden puppet warriors called Karakuri. I'm also in the middle of building a third deck, Morphtronics (think cute Transformers)

This guy right here is my alien's trump card. Also he'll rape your face.

Anyway, I could go into detail about who all is good and how my decks play, but no one wants to read that. Hell, I mostly just wanted an excuse to put that picture of Gol'gar in here somewhere.

If you want to poke fun, by the way, it is welcome but do try to include what YOU do for fun so I can at least get a fighting chance!

Why I Currently Suck

I think that above title is probably appropriate yeah... This post will be dedicated to how my summer has been, but more importantly, why I suck right now and generally need to stop sucking.

Also, it feels real good to be posting after such an extended absence. I gotta do this more!


Over the summer, I've done a lot of cool things. Some of the ones I can think of are as follows (more may be added at a later point, as this is also something of a personal reminder):

• Went to King's Island with Phil, Anthony and Splinter
• Lots of late night White Castle
• Got mugged at Central, spent all night at the police station
• The party at Anthony's
• Infiltrated South Grove
• Swimming and tanning with Kyra
• DnD with the usual gang

I also have a good amount to look forward to, such as my birthday, Taking Back Sunday and Muse, Captain America, and a good 'nother month of shenanigans.

HOWEVER, I AM A LAZY BASTARD. I have become so incredibly useless during my summer. I will now present the world with a list of reasons I have been a piece of crap (I may again add more later):

• I haven't blogged in two months
• My clothes have generally resided on my floor
• I still haven't checked my stuff for next school year
• I still haven't called Alienware back about this thing's failures
• I didn't get my job back, probably because I waited over a month to call
• I've been waking up between 12-2 every day
• My room is an absolute wreck

Sweet God... It actually looks even worse when I've put it out there. Anyways, I have got to not do this. I'm hoping to start by posting this whole thing, but that's just a start (actually, I also did laundry today). Ideally, I'd get up at a decent time tomorrow, make a phone call, check the web, and then clean my room. That is totally not going to happen though.

I'm really not sure why I got so damn lazy. Maybe it was the absolute freedom of no school or job or anything. Maybe it was the sudden lack of stress. Maybe it's because my food intake has been cut in half. Nevertheless, I'm most certainly disappointed in myself. I could be, should be better than this.

Whatever, you all get the point.

I'll make sure to try harder to keep you informed on more crap about myself that you don't care about!

Black Star

So, I'm on my summer break, howabout that? Can't believe it really. It's been a long year, and I'm rather sad to say goodbye to IU and all of my great friends there. However, I'm also extremely excited to be back in the Grove with all of my great friends here. I'm really looking forward to a fantastic summer full of memorable experiences. More than anything, I'm just glad to be back in the loop.

I feel like there's a lot I could talk about here. I've done a hell of a lot since I was blogging actively so I suppose it's time to play catch up.

The last month of college was really hectic. I did a lot of studying for finals, but I still may not have pulled good enough grades to get into Kelley. If I can't, I've already got a backup plan so no biggie. I'm thinking I'll do a business minor and major in computer sciences. I'm not sure what I'll actually DO with that degree, but I think I'll enjoy most career fields in which I'm using a computer.

As I've previously stated, I'm really going to miss everyone back at IU. We've formed a pretty close bond over the semester and it'll be odd to be (mostly) without them for the next four months. Still, I'll see em' again soon enough.

So, as far as this summer already goes, it kicked off well. Me, Dustin Bishop, Will Gobetz and Phil all got us some Pitch Black:

You watched my film?

No man, the BETTER stuff!

Yeah, that stuff. Back and stores and awesome as ever. Hell, I'm drinking some as I post this. Do you like Mountain Dew? Grape? Go out and get some. ANYWAY, we got that and played some Phantasy Star Online. That was a very successful night.

Yesterday I had my three year anniversary with the ever-lovely Kyra Andrews! It was quite the date! We went to go see Thor (see it, it's awesome) and then went to Teppenyaki Grill & Supreme Buffet, which had one of the larger selections I've seen at a buffet and also excellent food. We finished our days relaxing outside on the hill where we had a picnic on our first anniversary. It was quite the night!

Anyway, life is good and I'm in a great spot right now. I'll be blogging more during the summer hopefully, so you all can look forward to me harassing you to read this.

*Insert witty exit line here*

FINALS SUCK

That actually says it all.

Maybe when I'm not studying every second of the day I'll make a real post.

Or maybe I'll just go cry in the corner.

The End Is Nigh

It's so close to the end of the school year.

That is insane! It's become so normal to me, being here.

Summer is going to be crazy. I'm very excited for it though. All four months of it.

In other news, this weekend should be awesome. I'm extremely excited for it.

In other other news, I hate ear buds. I go through them like freakin' candy. They need to start lasting me more that a week or two. UGH.

I keep feeling like I want to write a long rant on here, but I can never muster up the energy. I've become so damn lazy. That's why I started this thing, as I previously said. Not sure how well it's working...

Decline In Posts

I want to say that I'm obviously not posting as much as I started out as. This is a problem. This blog helps me to stimulate my thinking and provides an outlet for my thoughts, opinions, rants, whatever...

I need more sleep. I'll blame it on that.

So About Nashville

A write-up on my trip is probably overdue.

Anyway, we were 20 minutes leaving Bloomington, and we hit an hour of traffic when we passed through Louisville. It was a fun bus trip however. We watched Inglourious Basterds and The Hangover. I got some sleep in, listened to Between The Buried and Me's new EP, and snacked with John. The whole trip was pretty bromantic honestly.

After our six-hour bus ride, we threw our stuff in the hotel room and headed to MafioZa's pizza. We waited outside for like an hour, but it was worth it. We sat at a huge table appropriately named the Mafia table. I got some of the buffalo pizza, sausage pizza, garlic bread and breadsticks. Also they had ginger ale, which has been known to make me very happy. Following this, we headed back to the hotel, where we crashed because I am too lame to ask others what they were doing.

Ohgodthispostwilltakeforever...

Anyway, In the morning, we had a nice breakfast at the hotel. They had banana nut muffins, which are always more than welcome. We headed to the Tennessee State Museum. It was pretty cool. They had a ton of old guns and weapons, and other things that people with an attention span greater than mine surely found amazing.

From here we went to lunch. The majority of the group went to B.B.King's Blues Club. I got a bowl of Gumbo, which was pretty damn good. What was NOT good was the slow as hell service. Our server couldn't have tried less if he tried to try less. On the other hand, the live music was absolutely spectacular and made up for the fact that the food was a bit too expensive.

After we ate we had a bit of free time. Me, John, Michael, Alicia and Christine walked around for a bit. We saw some street performers, expensive banjos, boot stores EVERYWHERE, and an ice cream place that I stopped at and got some... delicious ice cream!

The next stop was the Belle Meade plantation. This was alright. The building itself and the grounds were pretty cool, but our tour guide was sort of a whack job. She would go in and out of character with absolutely no warning. She was also completely powerless to stop our bus driver from drinking his gallon of water. He cracked me up. We hung around after the tour for a while. The next stop was a state park, where we spun around holding our shoes and visited a shady flea market. Mostly that was nice because the weather was beautiful.

Of course, everyone knows the best thing to do in Nashville. The best thing to do anywhere: Laser Tag! We played laser tag at this huge place in downtown Nashville. It was a blast, the only problem being this douchey little 14 year old who racked up points by following around some of the girls on our trip. I walked by him later in the night and, in retrospect, should have called him a variety of things I don't feel like saying here. I came in the middle score-wise.

After a hardcore workout, food was on everyone's minds. And when I say everyone, I mean the entire city of Nashville, because everywhere was packed. It took us forever to decide upon the Old Spaghetti Factory (because our first choice, Rippy's, was packed). Unfortunately, we didn't have an hour to wait. Hard Rock proved to be equally packed, and The Pita Pit (NOT my choice) was closed. On the plus side, we got to walk around a lot and saw:

• Mario And Luigi playing guitars
• A girl hula-hooping
• Two really little girls badly singing to a recording
• Old dude twins wearing identical shirts with sex jokes
• Three girls without pants
• Many other less notable street performers

Luckily, we found a Mexican joint that for some odd reason was not packed. Not only was El Ray affordable, the food was really good. I got some spicy steak stuff and a Piña Colada, which is always a day maker. Also they had bottomless chips and salsa, of which I ate probably three bowls. I left feeling very full. When we returned to the bus, there was a group of dudes from Alabama. We had somehow agreed to take them around the corner. I am not sure how this happened but I am glad they were not muggers.

Back at the hotel, I decided to join in on a pillow fight. It consisted of the dudes in the group beating the living tar out of the girls. After that was over I played Bullshit and Rummy down in the lobby with a group of people who I won't name because I don't exactly remember them and would not want to exclude one. I DO remember Kim and Alicia constantly reminding me how much I suck. I eventually fell asleep on my bed listening to Pink Floyd.

In the morning, we ate a quick breakfast and rushed off to the Country Music Hall Of Fame. While I didn't know most of the artists, nor do I give a damn about country music, but I could still respect how cool all the stuff was. We also danced to a high school choir and band while there. Their parents took pictures of us. From here, it was time to head home. I played cards, listened to music, and then... and then... and then watched Dude, Where's My Car? We also stopped at KFC, sadly not in Kentucky.

Overall, it was an amazing trip, and a great way to get to know people on my floor more. Now if you'll excuse me, I've posted enough to not post for another year.

The Blue Man

I really should do a write up on Nashville. And I will! But first, a bit about what I did today...

More or less what you see here, except that isn't me. I put on my blue morphsuit and ran around campus shaking hands with people, waving at cars, and drinking coke. I partially did it because Kyra needed me to for some media class, but mostly I did it because I love it.

You know when you see something cool that you tell your friends about later? I get to BE that thing when I'm doing this. People take pictures with me, honk at me and laugh. The best part is, I do it all anonymously. Not only do I not have to feel vain in a way because I'm not building a personal reputation or anything, but I also spare any potential embarrassment because when I take off the suit, no one has any clue who I am. Like a really lame superhero.

Anyway, I'll have video for this later. For now, listen to this song. It is beautiful.

Walking In Memphis... Wait, Nashville.

So, I'm going to Nashville with a pretty awesome group of people from my floor this weekend and I'm very excited. It's going to be a great break from all of the stress of college and in general a good memory. At least, I'm hoping.

School lately has seemed really busy. I've had classes, meetings, tests, my whole eye ordeal (speaking of which I can put my contacts in tomorrow, thank God), and I've just felt really busy. Not particularly stressed, but like my free time is at a serious premium, making the Nashville trip that much more appealing.

I've done a lot of thinking lately. We've been debating all sorts of philosophical issues down in the basement, and I've been deep in some personal thought as well. It's been really refreshing, and I feel like my overall plan to increase my participation in life has been successful.

I'd like to say that I've figured out something to talk about for my whole post on "changing the world", but I haven't. I'm less sure about my major than previously. Despite this and other questions, I feel good. I'm happy with where I'm at in life and I think I'm continuing to improve each day.

It is only when we are truly challenged that we see the need to change.

Making You A Better Person

Alright people, listen up! Firefox 4 is available. It is tremendously faster than Firefox 4 and look beautiful. It manages your tabs better than ever, is more compatible with today's web standards, and did I mention it's beautiful?

Download it now people.

NOW.

Eye Strain

I do NOT have enough time to get stuff done.

I have so many things to do. Also, I'm extremely tired.

Also also for those not in the know, I can't wear my contacts for a week and my left eye hurts like a bitch.

UGH.

EDIT: Okay, I'm gonna elaborate a little bit.

I'm pretty kinda stressed about the Business School. I'm not sure at all what I'd do if I don't get in. That is not a fun thought.

As far as my eyes go, I'm taking some eye drops that are supposed to help with the pain my left eye has been going through. The thing is, the optometrist thinks my eye pain is related to my contact lenses, which I really don't agree with. He's the doc though. I just hope that the problem goes away for good.

I have been having a ton of difficulty adjusting to a normal sleep schedule back here on campus. Falling asleep is really hard and waking up is getting harder.

Just felt like griping.

Back To Bloomington

This time tomorrow, I'll be asleep in my dorm room.

I'm gonna miss Beech Grove. And yet, I miss Bloomington now.

I suppose when these are the hard things in life, life is good.

This Is The Way, Step Inside!

 

If I were to get a tattoo, I think this is one of my top choices for a design. It's based off of the album cover for Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division. I like music, I like the band, and I really like the design. Anyone who actually reads this thing got an opinion?

A Call To Arms

What would I change in the world, if I could?

I don't know, that's a huge question. I mean, shouldn't the obvious answer be to solve world hunger or even world peace? Those are stupid answers, I think. Conflict is inevitable and as a result, everyone cannot truly be equal. It's a wonderful dream to be sure, but not feasible, not in this world.

I wish I could free people from the stress that modern society creates.

Think of all of the things you've had to go through in life that were stressful. I mean, I'm in college for God's sake. The complexity of IU is baffling. Covering all of the costs alone is incredibly hard just to start. You've got loans, grants, FAFSA, scholarships, bursar refunds... Past that, you've got the stress of all of your classes. You have to do good, or else you'll be permanently affected. You may lose scholarships or not be able to get into the school you wanted to. You also have to actually know what you want to do in life. If not, you may have to change your major and take an extra year or perhaps summer classes.

All of this is done in an attempt to get a well-paying job. Even then, it's more about who you know.

You go through all of this simply because the way our modern world is set up. I know the education system is different in other countries, but wherever you go the end result is that you'll have to go through a lot of work just to attain what is considered to be a good life by society.

It isn't just the school system that I take issue with. Think about the minimum wage job you may have had or attempting to file taxes. Life is complicated. It's stressful. It loads a ton of expectations on you with seemingly little results.

Why is it that we never seem to be encouraged to pursue happiness in our lives? What if we honestly don't want to go to college or get a high paying job?

NOTE: I am resuming writing this after a few days. I've had time to clarify my thought and am in a different state of mind. Let's see how this goes.

My issue, ultimately, is that I believe people in today's world are often unable to attain happiness due to the amount of stress and conflicting ideals that the world throws at them. We spend so long going through the system that's been established to bring us to adulthood, doing our critical thinking about life and the universe on the sidelines. It's so difficult to get even an idea of what to do with our lives, let alone of the significance of what we choose to do.

...Shoot, this whole thing is unorganized. It's a mess-and-a-half. It's a combination of my school-related stress and my recent philosophical quandaries. I'm going to give this whole "change in the world" thing another go when I have a better idea of what exactly it is. Until then, enjoy my semi-coherent rambling.

Shamrock Shakes

I spent most of today with Kyra, and it was rather wonderful! We watched The Social Network, had Chinese food and a Shamrock Shake, and were generally cool people. She just had her wisdom teeth pulled, which has to suck.

I know most of you probably don't care, but I felt it important to take this time to make sure she knows how much I love our time together. Because I do. And I love her.

;)

Shuma-Gorath

...is now available for Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. He is freaking awesome, and all of you with the game should seriously download him. It's totally worth it.

In other news, to those of you who live in Beech Grove or Indy, you should go to Great China Buffet. It's located right west of U of I and is some really good food. It's my personal fave.

I've been playing more Pokemon lately, just because everyone else has Black or White. I really want it.

I've Got Nothing To Say

Seriously. I don't. I haven't done much as of late. I did just listen to The Strokes new album. I guess I could post about that later. I don't even know why I post all of these. I KNOW that no one wants to read them. I guess I feel that if I'm not posting anything, I'll fall out of the habit. But, why stay in the habit if it is pointless?

Anyway, I'm full of pointless things. Just ignore me.

Being A Loser

Pretty much what I am doing at this moment.

Any of you IU peeps doing anything? Care to share?

Lazy Daze

I've done nothing for hours today.

I am extremely okay with this.

While I may be bored, my stress is basically melting away.

Feels good man.

Dungeons And Dragons

I am currently sitting with six of my close friends, watching them play DnD. I'm okay with this.

I actually used to be a part of this game. I was a Warforged (robot) Wizard named Flametongue. When I went off to IU, it was decided that my character would die of RustRot and be buried in a backyard. Good to know my friends care deeply about me.

Over the summer, I guess they're going to go on an epic quest to revive me. I'm hoping to come back with some sort of awesome flame powers or a mechanical spider or something.

I'm pretty much a huge nerd sometimes. To those of you who have never played Dungeons and Dragons, it's a lot of fun especially with good friends. The only thing you really need is a competent Dungeon Master (guy who makes the whole story). If you've got that, you can basically wing the rest and learn as you go.

Being back in Beech Grove is absolutely wonderful. I feel so free and relaxed. I cannot possibly explain how good it feels to not have ANYTHING to do. I'm sure you can imagine.

Benevolent Sons

These idiots.

So for those of you not cool enough to be in-the-know, these guys are Benevolent Sons. They are composed of basically my best BG friends: Connor Law, Alex Holsclaw, David Gardner, Anthony Mayer, and Josh Lewis. Also they're a band, since I haven't actually yet said that.

I just got back from watching them perform, and it's always a ton of fun. I don't even LIKE Metalcore, and they still sounded good. If you do like this sort of music however, or just wanna give something new a shot, go give them a listen! Here's their MySpace,  I did the work for you.

I'm hopefully hitting up Steak N' Shake with these dudes in a bit. Pretty sweet way to end a night!

Peace of Mind

Right now, I am at home in my boxers on my bed, and I feel fine. Actually I feel great.

I have no homework. I have nowhere to be, nothing to do. I can just not worry about the world or anything in it (although I probably should be worrying about Japan). This next week is going to be fantastic. I'm thinking that by the time I get back to school, I'll probably be ready. In the meanwhile, I'm going to be doing awesome things like going to Steak N' Shake, playing Yu-Gi-Oh, seeing my friends play a concert, DND, and all sorts of other awesome things that will make people jealous.

Anyways, sooner or later I'll get around to posting something that isn't just my personal life.

Probably later over break.

I'm Back!

Back in Beech Grove people!

If I had a bed right now, I would totally be posting about my awesome plans and the peeps here and at IU.

But I don't, so my legs hurt.

Remind me later then!

That Stupid Paper Is Getting Done NOW

Seriously.

Self-Inflicted Boredom

I am currently retaking A100 because I'm an idiot and got a D in the class the first time around. This leaves me in a pretty lame situation.

See, I've already seen everything in the class, making repeating it extremely boring. Much of the material is stuff that I already understand. But I can't not pay attention, or I'll just fail the course again, in which case I'll be really in some deep stuff.

Basically, I have to balance paying good attention with not letting myself literally get bored to death. I think I can do it...

Getting My Paper Done

I just managed to write three pages. I feel pretty dang good about that. I'm glad that once I start a paper, I can usually get on a roll. Still, this thing is really draining me. It's just unfortunate timing. I've had so many tests over the last two weeks that I had minimal time to work on this, and I have an Italian oral exam on Thursday that requires a bit of studying. On top of this, I leave for break directly after I turn this paper in, leaving me with the sense that it is the only thing stopping me from relaxing, which sucks.

Nevertheless, it is getting done like everything. I'm glad that I have the drive to always get my work done. I know that is something not everyone can say, so I'm proud of that little part of myself. I just wish I was able to devote more effort to my work. I'm too content with never giving my best.

How does one increase their desire to impress themselves in their actions?

No really, I'm open to suggestions.

The Accursed Project

I hate this paper.

I know it will get done, but...

Not without a fight.

Ugh.

I'd Lie For Only You

I'm listening to a lot of Brand New lately. They're pretty much my favorite band ever. I'd like to say there is competition, but I'd be lying. They're amazing lyrically and musically, and have such a fantastic range of songs.

I'm going to start talking about Deja Entendu, because it is probably their best known and maybe even best album. It starts off with Tautou, which I personally find to be a bit boring. However, it's really just an introductory track, so that can be forgiven.

Following that, we've got Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades. As far as the album goes, this is probably my least favorite song. It certainly isn't bad, but it is a bit on the boring side. Lyrically, it's alright. It's a song about someone who is having sex reluctantly and is disgusted by his actions. Still, it's catchy and certainly not bad at all.

I Will Play My Game Beneath The Spin Light is pretty amazing. It's basically about someone who is tired of all of the touring and music, and the isolation that it brings. Ordinarily, I would say it's stupid for a band to complain about that, but you really feel what he means through the song. Also, musically it's one of my favorites. It has a really fast pace and isn't overly depressing. It also leads straight into...

Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't, which is probably my favorite song. Maybe not #1, but really close. I love the whole thing. It's actually written about the guy from Taking Back Sunday and how he stole his girlfriend and how TBS sucks. I'm not sure why I like it so much. I just find it to be really fascinating to write a song about such a thing.

I'll write more about it later. Please listen to it. You won't regret it. 

Sick Of Here

I really can't wait to escape for Spring Break and get away from IU. I mean, I love it here. I love the people, the scenery, and the food, but I'm stressed and want to see my friends back home.

I'm stoked, honestly. I plan on just kicking back with all of my bros, playing cards and going to Steak & Shake. I miss the simplicity of life at home. Most of all, I really miss hanging with everyone. I miss car rides and not having a place to stay.

I want to not have any schoolwork to worry about, and weekends that are crazy but in a different way. I want to share some of the awesome music I've listened to here.

I'm really excited to be in Beech Grove. Didn't think I'd be saying that.

Intense Debates

At lunch today, we had an awesome debate about being tried as an adult in court.

Unfortunately, I feel lazy as heck, so I don't wanna recap the whole thing.

The gist of things was that I'm opposed to trying someone under the age of eighteen as an adult.

Anyway, I need to get on that five page paper...

Also, I need to write about what I would change in the world. I'll get around to that soon. Maybe tonight when I'm supposed to be writing a paper.

A Week To Go

I need Spring Break guys, really bad. I have to go to Calc soon, and I'm so tempted to go back to sleep right now that if I weren't already wearing pants I would.

I'm sure it's a combination of the stress of the last two weeks, the caffeine and crazy weekends, but I feel totally beat. I feel like someone who did way too much Charlie Sheen. Unfortunately, I'm not a total bitchin' rock star from Mars, so I can't handle this.

I'm going to drag myself to class now. If no one sees me later today, go to Ballantine 130 and wake me up please.

Chilling In "A" Basement

Like many nights this semester, I am currently in the basement of A Tower, chilling out. Currently, it's just me Grace and Jillian. Like many nights again, people have slowly left over the course of the night.

I'm really pretty okay with this schedule. I like having a good group of great people to hang out with. Last semester was vaguely consistent at best.

My friends rock.

Narcisissm

I worry that I'm narcissistic.

Either that or I act it to hide a frail ego.

One of the two.

Probably not, just feeling down right now.

Whatever.

Responsibilities Of Many Kinds

Right now, I should be writing a paper for X-100, Introduction To Business. I will, sooner or later. It will get done, as will my other work. But it seems so pointless, so shallow...

I've been thinking a lot lately, about all sorts of things as evidenced by an earlier post. My current big question is this: What is my responsibility to this world?

Do I owe the world or the people of it anything? Should I be striving for the betterment of mankind? If so, how? There are many things one could theoretically do to attempt such a thing. I could educate myself politically and vote informed or even attempt to enter the system to make our country a better place to live. I could start a business with the intent of providing the world with a product or service that would better it. I could do all kinds of things, but ultimately, is it my responsibility?

What about my responsibility to myself? My desire for personal happiness and fulfillment? When does that factor in to my decision-making process? Likewise though, if all of my actions are self-serving am I selfish? Does it make me uncaring of the world around me?

What if absolutely everyone was self-serving? Wouldn't we all be fine then? I mean, if we were all held responsible for our own personal satisfaction and only our own, we wouldn't have to feel bad if others were in a bad situation. Of course, we DO feel bad, so that's a moot point. For that matter, I'm not saying that we shouldn't feel bad. Au contrair, I personally believe that by attempting to provide happiness for others, we can find peace for ourselves knowing we're doing something...

By saying that, I acknowledge that I believe a person to have some form of debt to the world around them. However, now there is the issue of what is truly important in life. Assuming that I should be helping others, is happiness what I should be attempting to provide? I find happiness to be a good goal, as it encompasses all sorts of options such as financial stability, equal rights, or even just someone to listen. What if I'm wrong though? What if the overall goal of humanity is to accomplish something and our personal happiness is insignificant to this goal or perhaps something that is supposed to be obtained through a pursuit of it?

By now, I must admit to a bit of weariness and am going to conclude this post. Any of you who read, I would love to hear your thoughts on this!

Someday...

So I'm listening to The Strokes right now, and you should be too.

I originally discovered (can you say that for bigger bands?) them on my Pandora station based on Franz Ferdinand whom I also love. It really took a while for them to catch on, but once something clicked with me, i fell in love. I'll admit, quite a few of their songs sound "samey" at first, but I think that was more a result of me being unfamiliar with the general sound.

If you were going to take my advice and be awesome, I'd tell you to start with their first album, Is This It. It has the really straightforward Garage Rock sound that they're really known for, and some of their best songs. Someday is one of my personal favorites, as is New York City Cops. It does have a few boring points, but overall I think it's their best. If you like it, try out one of their other two. First Impressions of Earth is really different from their earlier sound, whereas Room On Fire is basically the same sound as their first album, a little clearer in the vocals.

Anyway, they rock and you should give them a shot.

Like A Rolling Stone

It is currently almost four on a Saturday night. I am having trouble seeing correctly, let alone typing. Nevertheless, I feel good. I feel like today, I discovered a good amount not just about me, but about Kyra and also the people around me.

I know life can be stressful, and I know I'm avoiding that stress. Tell me honestly though, what do you do when you feel as if work has consumed you?

I personally am going to sleep. Good night world and all those who inhabit it!

A Hint Of Existentialism

I'm feeling oddly introspective right now.

I think that to be a good thing, it is the biggest reason I started this blog. I want to be able to express myself further. It calms me in the rest of my day-to-day life, giving me more time to think about who I am.

I'm not quite feeling the huge rant now, but still...

Why am I here at IU? Is it going to lead to greater happiness? What of my recent lack-of-passion for my academics? Are my personal standards lowering? Am I still a greater person than a year ago today?

Whatever, it's only a feeling.

Why I'm Better Than A Few Of You...

This is why.

I checked the statistics of my blog, and found out that some of you are using Safari or, godforbid, INTERNET EXPLORER.




Sheeple, it is not 2000 anymore. You have several internet browsers you can choose from, and the flaming sack of crap that is Internet Explorer is not a valid choice. I know some people prefer Google Chrome, and a few of you like Opera, and that is fine by me. What is NOT fine is that some of you are willingly using a browser that is:

• Slow
• Ugly
• Vulnerable
• Out-Of-Date

If someone told you that if you just drove your car down to the lot they would replace it with a Ferrari, would you hesitate? No, of course you wouldn't. And yet, you willingly stick with an inferior browser.

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

There, I even put a damn link for you. If those Internet Explorer and Safari numbers keep going up, I'm going to be really, really disappointed.

Our Playlist

So yeah, I'm going to discuss the playlist thing I'd mentioned earlier. I'm sure someone else has done this, but whatever, I had the idea on my own.

Basically, me and eight other people took three songs each that we'd picked for whatever reason (mostly favorites and variety). I put them all together on a playlist and we all listened to it. A simple idea, to be sure, but a ton of fun. I also plan to update it in the near future. It's really cool to get to hear what all my friends listen to and expand my own taste while I'm at it. Any of you reading should definitely give it a shot. Since I'm talking about it, lemme go into my favorites from each person.

Such Great Heights (The Postal Service) - Ethan chose this song, and previously I'd only heard the Iron And Wine version. I can't say which I like better, but this one is really upbeat and cheerful, and makes me happy.

Breathe (Pink Floyd) - Saying this is my favorite of Grace's is sort of cheating. I mean, I grew up with Pink Floyd and already love them, so... Nevertheless, it is a fantastic song.

Koop Island Blues (Koop) - Gotta say, never heard any of Jillian's before, but this one is definitely my favorite. Its got a really relaxing sound to it, as if I were off the coast of Mexico with a margarita. Not gay.

Don't You? (I Fight Dragons) - All of Jim's picks are closer to a sound I'm used to. This song just has a good pop rock vibe to it that makes it a fun listen.

Koi No Mega Lover (Maximum The Hormone) - I never listen to Japanese music anymore, so getting this from John was a pleasant and fun surprise. Plus, it rocks hard. Reminds me of earlier childhood.

Maintain Consciousness (Relient K) - Juli's picks are not songs I would've listened to on my own, but I'm glad I did. I've heard Relient K before, and this is a pretty cool song. Again, a good fun poppy song.

Road To Joy (Bright Eyes) - Kyra's were all songs I'd heard before. Bright Eyes is occasionally awesome, and this song is great. It's simple but strong lyrically, and he really screams pretty passionately.

Peace Of Mind (Boston) - Classic Rock is always good, and this is particularly good Classic Rock. Richard picked it, and it certainly makes him seem less pretentious than me and my Radiohead.

Anyway, those of you reading that aren't one of these people should do this, it's a lot of fun!

Too Much Sleep!

Guess who set his alarm wrong on the day of his M119 midterm?

This guy!

Luckily, I was woken up ten minutes before the exam because Kyra told Keith to check on me. I did indeed make it on time and actually think I did quite well. That takes a hell of a lot of stress off of my shoulders. Not all of it, mind you, but a good chunk.

I feel like I should talk more about things unrelated to my personal life to make this more interesting... Anyone reading agree? Disagree?

Sheena's Got Nothing On Me

I got a new jacket today. It is awesome and makes me feel cool.

 More significantly perhaps, I have a midterm for M119 in ten hours. Needless to say, I'm pretty stressed. This class makes a big impact on my grades, and if I don't do good on the midterm then I'm going to have to really bust myself to pick up my grade. I need to do good. I think I can, but who knows?

That is an awful question, I should know. I should be able to do fine. Perhaps if I were studying instead of informing all of you how stressed this makes me, I wouldn't really be stressed...

Nah. Couldn't be.

Accounting Failure

RAGE. I AM FULL OF IT.

I need to retake A100. The eDrop/eAdd class system is down right now (because right when it is needed was the best time to upgrade it of course). I went to my counselor to get a form. She told me I needed to go to Kelley today to enroll. So I walked in the rain of course! Upon getting there, it took me a small bit to find BU2-whatever. When I did, the note on the door informed me that I had to go to BU100E. Whatever, I found it. Once there, I was told to go to BU540. You think maybe they could have told the guys on the second floor that? Upon arriving upstairs, I was told that I would have to come back Monday because the person already left.

I just wasted over an hour of my time and missed out on free waffle fries. FOR NOTHING. (And I lost the add/drop form)

God forbid this place actually make something SIMPLE.

I Am Jack's Lack Of Sleep

Please tell me I'm not the only one who has been really losing sleep over all of these tests, projects, and midterms. I'm dying here... Ugh.

It just sucks, I'm losing sleep over work, and my quality of work is declining because of it. It's a vicious cycle. I can't wait for Spring Break, and I'm sure I'm not alone. I just want to be away from all of my stressors, back at home where I have nothing to do but gorge myself on soda and fast food. Is that so wrong?

Of course it isn't. Nevertheless, I can't wait. Sleeping more than like five hours a night is going to be fantastic.

Struggling With M-119

I am not enjoying this class at all. These derivatives are driving up a friggin' wall. I don't know why they bug me so much. I think it's a combination of the notations which I have not yet been able to make complete sense of and the book which is pretty damn useless. Regardless, I push on. I love the college environment and mentality. I'm free to stay up and push myself to get my work done. I can skip class if I have to. 1:10 in the morning no longer seems late at all. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.

These Saturday tests, however, are total bull. That should be illegal. If it can't be fit into my normal class time, it isn't worth doing... Okay, maybe that isn't true, but what is the point of a weekend if I have to wake up at eight for a Calculus test?

On an unrelated note, I'm listening to the playlist that me and several friends composed and loving it. Definitely need to listen to more classic rock, thank you Richard. For those of you not cool enough to be in on the playlist, I will expand upon this awesome idea of mine in a later post.

EDIT: I hate WebWorks. Just a few left... God I'm tired.

Brand New's Deja Entendu

If you don't listen to Brand New, you should. I mean, I named this blog after them, so I probably like them. They're really fantastic. Depressing as hell, but fantastic. If you listen to anything I end up posting here, please make it them?


If you do plan to follow my obviously great advice, I would start with Deja Entendu. It's their second album and probably their most popular. It represents a clear shift in sound from their first album, which is very much pop-punk, to their later works which are harder for me to give a genre to. It's a great mix of pop, emo, and... not really sure what else. I'm not particularly good with words,

Anyway, listen to "I Will Play My Game Beneath The Spin Light" and "Play Crack The Sky". Especially the latter, it may just be their best song. If you like it, listen to their next album. That one is probably my favorite, but that's for a different post.

An Awkward Introduction

Any of you who live in Forest probably have seen the gentleman who walks around dressed like he is from 19th century England. His name is Miles, and I totally finally introduced myself to him and asked him why he dresses the way he does (because he just likes it). I sorta yelled his name to stop him after he had passed, and had to explain why I've slightly stalked him. Anyway, still got that out of the way, so take THAT world!

I really like posting, so those of you whom I love should probably get used to reading.

My Life In Words

Not like any of you care, but as evidenced by the fact that you are reading this, I've decided to blog about my life. It's not really gonna be anything in particular. If I listen to a particularly moving song, or play a cool game, or something of real significance actually happens in my life (unlikely), it will be mentioned here. Feel free to berate me, tell me how pointless this is, or make fun of my song-title derived blog name. Or you could, I don't know, comment and actually be interested in what I have to say. I recommend that one actually.